PREPARING TO HEAR GOD’S WORD CHIMES (The congregaon is asked to pray for the blessing of God upon this service.) God of power, may the boldness of your Spirit transform us, the gentleness of your Spirit lead us, and the giſts of your Spirit be our goal and our strength. Amen. PRELUDE My Lord, What a Morning Richard Billingham INTROIT My Lord! What a Morning African-American spiritual The Sanctuary Choir †ADVENT OPENING SENTENCES AND CANDLELIGHTING (based on Isaiah 64:1-4) Middle School Youth †OPENING HYMN, No. 354 Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory BATTLE HYMN PRAYER OF CONFESSION RESPONSE, No. 90 Wait for the Lord WAIT FOR THE LORD (The congregaon and choir will sing this twice.) ASSURANCE OF PARDON †ACT OF PRAISE Gloria Patri MEINEKE †PASSING OF THE PEACE THE WORD A TIME WITH CHILDREN Bey Henderson Leader: As you depart from us now, the children of God say: Children: God be with you as you stay. Congregaon: God be with you as you go. RESPONSE, No. 137 He Came Down HE CAME DOWN (The congregaon and choir will sing this twice.) Children may exit at this me. Parents of children ages 3 years and younger may take their children to the CE building for Extended Session, Room CE 103. Children K4-1st grade will be escorted to the Worship Center on the third floor of this building, Room 322. PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION FIRST SCRIPTURE READING Isaiah 64:1-9 Pew Bible, page 652; large print, page 849 (Bibles are located in the racks beneath the pews.) SECOND SCRIPTURE READING Mark 13:24-37 Pew Bible, page 47; large print, page 61 This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. SERMON ‘Another Unstable Advent: Holiday Greengs from Mark’ Rev. Dr. Chris Currie RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD †AFFIRMATION OF FAITH - The Nicene Creed †HYMN, No. 800 Somemes a Light Surprises SALLEY GARDENS MOMENT FOR DISCIPLESHIP PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERING Offertory One Day in All Time C. Hubert H. Parry The Sanctuary Choir Text: Sylvia Dunstan †Doxology TALLIS’ CANON (Sung to the tune of Hymn No. 675, All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night ) SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER Invitaon Great Prayer of Thanksgiving Stand, as you are able, and greet one another saying: “The peace of Christ be with you.” Respond by saying: “And also with you.” Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, World without end. Amen, Amen. (Connue your personal prayer of confession in silence.) We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God, eternally begoen of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begoen, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvaon he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Ponus Pilate; he suffered death, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated on the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one bapsm for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrecon of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. Speaker: Isaiah the Prophet cried out to God, I wish you would open the heavens that separate us and come down, making the mountains quake because you are here. Make your name known to all who are against you. Make the naons tremble because of your presence. Speaker: You came before and did awesome deeds that we did not expect; you made our world shake at the sight of you. In all the history of the world, no ears have heard and no eyes have seen any God other than you. Speaker: You work for those who wait for you. People: We wait and hope for God’s peaceful kingdom, as we light this candle. RESPONSE, No. 378 We Wait the Peaceful Kingdom MERLE’S TUNE Congregaon and Choir We wait the peaceful kingdom, when wolf and lamb shall lie In gentleness and friendship without a fear or sigh, When lion shall be grazing, when snake shall never strike; A lile child shall lead us both strong and weak alike. All Speakers: Loving God, come and shine your light in the world! My Lord! what a morning, When the stars begin to fall. You will hear the trumpet sound To wake the naons under ground, Looking to my God’s right hand, When the stars begin to fall. Wait for the Lord, whose day is near. Wait for the Lord; be strong; take heart! He came down that we may have love; He came down that we may have love; He came down that we may have love; Hallelujah forevermore. One day in all me you entered our earth With humility, in poverty’s birth. The angels were channg; the star, it shone bright; The world which was waing rejoiced in delight. This day in all me, O Lord Jesus, come! Now enter our hearts, enliven each one. Your people are singing for love to shine strong; Creaon is groaning —it hopes and waits long. One day, to end me, you will come again With glory and might and honour to reign. The saints will be praising; the sky, it will shine; The earth be exalng salvaon’s design. We praise you, O Christ of future and past, Of each of our days, of first and of last. We offer our blessing; we offer our praise; We offer our waing through all of these days. Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. At what seems the wrong me, in what seems the wrong place, among those who seem the wrong people, God has decided to bless, disturb, and visit us. As we prepare for your coming, forgive us for desiring comfort more than devoon. Forgive us for seeking to sasfy our wants above serving your will and worshipping a lesser god and seling for an easier gospel. Forgive us knowing the demands of discipleship and failing to live up to them. In your mercy, create in us clean hearts, enable us to prepare for Christ’s coming, that we may live as worthy and joyful disciples unl your kingdom comes; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.